Symphony in the Sky
by lukastobing06
Summary: AU. After Kaori's death, Arima Kousei was able to move on and is now dating his rival, Igawa Emi. Furthermore his father get closer to him as he remarried and brought Kousei three loving step-siblings. However, an attack from North Korea soon caused him to end up as a fighter pilot of the JASDF, thanks to a conscription from the government. Would he survive?
1. Prologue: The Attack

**A/N: **First thing first, in this story I made the location of the main places in the Your Lie in April anime (such as the Towa Hall) as in the capital, Tokyo. (which is the case in real life).

Second. in my opinion, after Kaori dies the "remaining adults" in Kousei's live especially his father must do everything they can to restore Kousei's happiness and shower him with love he deserves. That's why in this story I give Kousei a stepmother, a loving one, and three siblings.

**Tokyo, April 25th, 2018**

_April soon to end. _Kousei sighed as he wakes up from his bed.

April will never be unforgettable for him, as four years ago in that month, he was told that his best friend loved a girl he was in love with. Those chain of events, which yanked him out of his childhood trauma, also resulted in grief, as he once again lost a loved one; Miyazono Kaori.

With the help of his best friends, his remaining family; especially his father, Takahiko and his stepmother, Arima (formerly Tanibe) Yumi, a widowed high school music teacher that Takahiko married four months after Kaori's death; and later, his rivals, Takeshi and Emi, he rise up and rekindled his dream to be a professional pianist. Due to him being the Champion of the East Japan Piano Competition, which was held in the same day as Kaori's passing day, he was accepted into Okutsu Musical High School, an affiliate of Okutsu University College of Music.

Speaking of his stepmother, Takahiko's marriage to Yumi also resulted in Kousei having three half-siblings, something considered as rare in Japan; two half-sisters, Nana (15) and Risa (12), and one half-brother, Daigo (22), worked as a medical technician. All of them loved Kousei like he is their own blood sibling, further helped him to get over Kaori's death.

In Okutsu, he soon found himself in love with Igawa Emi, his female piano rival. On Christmas Eve in his first year, he confessed to Emi and they become couple. They often performed together in a two-piano duets across the country and soon. Kousei and Emi are dubbed by the pianist community as **"Duumvirate" **and as the latter, winning many competitions. Meanwhile, Tsubaki and Watari, his best friend, attend different school than Kousei. Both are under sport scholarship and have aspiration to play professionally.

Times went by, and Kousei graduated as overall valedictorian. Emi and Takeshi was the second and third overall rank respectively.

Soon, he saw his father and his half-brother prepared themselves for their work as the house's TV was tuned on the current news, which was focused on another increase of tension in the Korean Peninsula. Especially after in 2017, North Korea launched test missiles over Hokkaido. Kousei himself has been accepted by Okutsu University, College of Music and he is eager to start his college life, with Emi in his side.

April 25th, 20.40, when his father just arrived from his work, the city's air raid siren blared over the surrounding area.

"Kousei, check for J-Alert emergency message!" His stepmother, Yumi, ordered him as Takahiko immediately preparing the underground shelter in their house. Kousei opened his phone and his blood run cold: the J-Alert broadcast had informed a North Korean ballistic missile launch, this time, as a real attack, not a mere test launch. The message also informed that North Korea had declared war towards the South and launching massive assault to break through the DMZ.

"Mum, Dad, this is a real attack, We are under attack!" Kousei said. "Alright, everyone, go into the shelter, NOW!". Takahiko, Yumi, Kousei, Nana, and Risa immediately head into the underground shelter and closed it.

Inside the basement, Kousei try to call Emi, Tsubaki, Takeshi, and Watari, but the answer are all the same.

_"the number that you are trying to call is not reachable"_

_"Minna, Okiwo tsukete" _(Everyone, please stay safe) Kousei prayed, inside the dim air-raid shelter.

**A/N: **What's your opinion about this opening shot of the war in East Asia, when North Korea launched a ballistic missile in a real attack towards Japan? By the way, this particular attack is not WMD. Which mean the missile is not carrying nuclear, biological, or chemical warheads.


	2. The World They Live In

**A/N:** This chapter's main purpose is to explain the different history of the world in general which led to a less-isolated North Korea and soon, the remilitarization of Japan under US support as the reaction, beginning in the 1980s, the final decade of the Cold War. If you want this chapter to be expanded more, please write it on the comment section, Arigatou!

Watari's house, somewhere in Tokyo, 25th May 2018

At 4.00 PM. Watari is currently in his room, studying history for the tomorrow school exit exam, along with Tsubaki, his girlfriend. This is another study and date session for the couple.

"For me and her, I must do this well!" Watari said inside his heart. Both Tsubaki and Watari began to read their books.

"_The 1980s saw global recession which greatly affected both the developing, and developed world. The United States and Japan went out from the recession early, while other OECD countries like the United Kingdom, continued to grapple with high unemployment until the second half of the decade. One of it's other consequences are rejuvenation of democracy movement in Asia."_

_"On__ 25 February 1986, the President of Philippines, Ferdinand Marcos, was toppled in the People Power Revolution. Later. Soeharto from Indonesia was toppled in a sudden military coup one week after the EDSA Revolution, with the interim government led by former Governor of Jakarta, Ali Sadikin, began the transition of Indonesia to democracy and a UN-backed negotiation about the fate of East Timor, occupied by Indonesia in 1977, which later emerge as an independent nation in 1989. _

_"A year later, in 1987, the EDSA effect soon influenced the negotiation for the end of military governments in South Korea and Taiwan. On the other hand, South Korea, oil-producing Middle East countries, both Soviet-aligned such as Syria, Iraq, Algeria, and Western-aligned which are Saudi Arabia, UAE, Qatar, Bahrain, Oman, and Kuwait, along with the newly rising China, with it's cheap and abundant household manufactured products and Western recognitions, enjoyed economic boom in this era"_

_"In the other side of the Iron Curtain, the era saw the Soviet war in Afghanistan, started in December 25th, 1979 and ended in February 15th, 1989, which widely condemned by the international community and mocked as "Soviet Union's Vietnam War" , which influenced the rising discontent in Baltic States and Soviet satellite states in Eastern Europe, one of the main event was the martial law invocation in Poland. In addition to Afghanistan, in 1986 one of the reactors in Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant, in the Ukrainian SSR, suffered a meltdown due to inadequate safety standards, spreading radiations across the European continent, rendered 50.000 Soviets displaced, and one city nearby, Pripyat, has to be abandoned and declared as an exclusion zone, which are still for this day. The disaster was another impetus to the Mikhail Gorbachev's program of Glasnost (openness), and Perestroika (restructuring), which administration was inaugurated in March 1985. Gorbachev also began rapprochement with the West and several summit meetings were held with it's US counterpart, President Ronald Reagan, in Geneva, Valetta, London, Washington, Reykjavik, Helsinki, Paris, and Madrid, ushering the gradual defusion of Cold War tension."_

_"Soon, however, Gorbachev's reforms spiraled out of control and resulted in rising discontent and ethnic clashes between nationalities in the Union and later, in 1989, Revolutions in Eastern Europe that toppled Soviet-installed communist governments there, including the Die Wende in East Germany which outcome saw the Berlin Wall torn down, and the execution of Nicolae Ceausescu and his wife in Romania. Other communist nations began to adapt in the changing economic reality in the mid to late 1980s, such as Vietnam, Cuba, and North Korea, including lessening restriction of small and medium scale businesses and permission of state companies to conduct foreign trade and accepting investments from non-government domestic sources, effectively no longer isolating themselves from the world market in general and resulted in the relative avoidance of famine and starvation in those countries after the end of Soviet aid." _

_"In August 26th, 1990 Iraq invaded Kuwait. As the result, a coalition of Western and Arab states was assembled by a UN resolution led by United States Army General Norman Schwartzkopf, and decisively defeat the Iraqis in February 26th, 1991. Exactly ten months later, at December 26th, 1991, the Soviet Union dissolved." _

_"Post-communist Eastern European countries, along with Cuba, Vietnam and North Korea which retain it's communist government went into economic malaise in the 1990s, further exacerbated by the Yugoslav Wars, which began in 1990. At the same time Japan entered the era called the "Lost Decade" when the asset price bubble burst. Proper measures from the Bank of Japan and good oversight in the economic stimulus package by the government prevent further increase of public debt, which include a particularly unpopular measures; letting several companies who are insolvent and unable to repaid it's debt to banks, to fail _(A/N: preventing "zombie companies/banks" to sprung up in the original timeline). _Also, in order to reduce tension with South Korea. Japan officially renounced its claim on Liancourt Rocks, called Dokdo in Korea and Takeshima in Japan, and repatriated Korean historical artifacts held in Japanese museums, while retaining its position on Senkaku Islands and Kuril Islands, While recovery seems imminent in 1997, supported by the overall growth in the American economy under Bill Clinton. the Asian Financial Crisis, started in Thailand dashed the hope of recovery of the Japanese economy for a while, and only in 1999 the recovery begins, in tandem with the recovery of Asian economics affected by the 1997 crisis. However, the recovery was short lived as in 2001, as Internet Bubble Burst _(Dot-com bubble burst)_ occurred in the US, once again slowed down the world economy as a whole. On the other side, despite grappling with economic crisis on it's own , Yugoslav Wars, and rebellions in Chechnya, the newly independent Russian Federation, successor of the USSR in international relations, enjoyed a period of relative peace with the West in the 1990s and early 2000s"_

_"During that time, discovery of possible evidence that North Korea are developing nuclear weapons sparks the "nuclear crisis" and after a series of summit the Clinton administration, under US-North Korea Agreed Framework treaty, relented and provide modern light-water reactors and fuel oil, to the North Koreans to address its energy shortages in return of the freezing of all reactors under construction. As the United States are reluctant to support the ensuing construction of the replacement reactors especially after the Republican Party took control of Congress in 1994, Canada stepped in, under US approval, along with Sweden, to provide funding and necessary technology for the construction under the banner of an international consortium, Korean Peninsula Energy Development Organization (KEDO), meanwhile Algeria and Libya _(in real life were not the case)_, along with US, began to ship fuel oil to the country. But in August 31st, 1998, North Koreans launched a Paektusan-1 rocket in a launch attempt of their first indigenous satellite the Kwangmyeongseong-1. As analysts suspect the launch was a ruse for an ICBM test, the missile flight path over Japan caused it to retract 1 million USD worth of aid for the civilian reactors."_

_"Further allegation of violations of the agreement, and George W. Bush labeling of North Korea as "Axis of Evil" caused the United States to cut off the oil shipment and pressure other oil-producing countries to do the same. Agreement Framework breaks down, but the reactors has been completed in December 2002, ahead of schedule before the North Koreans withdraw from the NPT in January 2003._

_"September 11th, 2001 changed the world forever as terrorist group Al-Qaeda hijacked four airliners and destroyed the World Trade Center and damaged the Pentagon, US Department of Defense headquarters. As the result, the Bush administration launched Global War on Terrorism, and invading Afghanistan, when the Al-Qaeda leaders believed to hide."_

_"After that, came the Iraq War, the most controversial war ever fought by the US in the 21st century. The conduct of the war and post-invasion occupation and reconstruction, along with persistent sectarian violence and insurgencies resulted by the presence of US forces and allies severely polarize the American society and the government" _

(I decided to left out the rest of the history lesson here as most of next events are mostly the same as our real world timeline; such as 2004 Indian Ocean Earthquake and Tsunami, North Korean nuclear and missile tests in 2006-2017, Fukushima earthquake and tsunami along with the ensuing nuclear meltdown, the Arab Spring, rise of ISIS, the migrant crisis in Europe and rise of Donald Trump.)

26th May 2018, 16.30 hour, Okita High School, Tokyo, Japan

Watari and Tsubaki are among the students waiting the results of that day's test. Thankfully, they managed to reach good score. 85 and 92 respectively.

"Well, that's a pretty tough test. You know I am somehow bad at memorizing facts like this" said Watari to Tsubaki and two of his new best friends he meet in high school, Jiro Mizutani and Go-Il Jeong. "You two are like stamps and letter, and my sources had seen you extensively do your own date while studying." Said Jiro to the couple. Tsubaki's fellow softball team member and best friend, named Haruka Megumi, agreed with Jiro's statement.

Tsubaki can only laugh and blushed at the same time.

"You know me too well, Jiro" Watari replied to the shorter, black-haired male in front of him, while patting his head.

"By the way, to those who already choose which university they will attend, have you all making the necessary preparation?" Jeong asked the small circle.

"I am already accepted an offer from Doshisha (a real life Christian university in Japan)" Haruka said.

"Me and Tsubaki already got a lot of offer for scholarship here in various places like the Nippon Sport Science University (also a real life university)"

"Bloody hell" Jeong said in awe upon Watari mentioned one of the prestigious sport-related university in Tokyo.

"Tonight, we celebrate together, as this is our final day of exam" Tsubaki said.

"By the way, you two?" Watari asked his best friends, which also members of the school soccer team. Jiro played as defender, meanwhile Jeong as right-midfielder, and, under Watari captainship, bringing national school soccer cup into the school.

"Joining the Rikujou Jietai (JGSDF). And as you know, the article 9 will be revised. I mean it's certain. And I am willing to serve abroad. Especially if we talk about my own ancestral land (Korea) which are one of our allies. I might one day shoot some commies. I am 100% Japanese in heart and head, but I'm also a Korean in blood. So if one day those Juche-Marxist shitheads attack the South and Japan, which are increasingly likely these days, they must first step on my dead body." Jeong boasted.

"Good for you" Tsubaki replied, with encouragement, but Watari warned "Beware what you wish for, Jeong. I'm no pacifist and understand your wish to do your part to reunify your ancestral land. But you must know that war is hell. Our grandfather and great grandfathers has paid the terrible price for their war they started decades ago."

"Meanwhile I must go back to Naha (in Okinawa) and attend university there. My father was recently suffered a stroke and required constant care, so I need to be closer to them" Jiro said, solemnly.

"I can only wish you luck in your life, Jiro" Tsubaki said.

After a small celebration in a nearby Starbucks, they went their separate ways to their home..

**A/N:** The inclusion of new characters is for expansion of the story and besides, because Watari, Tsubaki, and Kousei attend different schools, they definitely acquire new friends on the way. while not forgetting the old friendship.


	3. Call To Arms

**A/N:** Hope you enjoy!

**Tokyo, April 25th, 2018. Two hour after the air raid warning. Kousei's house.**

After an agonizing two hours, the city's air raid siren finally signaled "All clear", which permitted citizens to went out from the shelters.

Expecting damage, Takahiko opened the door of the underground shelter. Instead all outside seems back to normal.

Yumi checked her phone for news updates.

"Thank God for AEGIS" she said, relieved that the missile attack on Tokyo was foiled by the US-made missile defense system, based on the Aegis naval combat system mainly installed on destroyers and cruisers in the US Navy, along with destroyers from the Kaijou Jieitai/JMSDF , ROKN (Republic of Korea Navy), RAN (Royal Australian Navy), and frigates from Norway and Spain, and which the land-based version had been acquired and made operational by the Japanese Ministry of Defense.

Meanwhile. Kousei managed to call Emi upon exiting the shelter.

"Emi? Thank God you're alive!"

"Kousei! What happened?" Emi called, seems doesn't understand the reason between the air raid siren.

"North Koreans fired a ballistic missile, possibly a nuke towards Tokyo. But our defenses foiled the attack and what I have heard, the warhead was taken out but the delivery system (body of the missile) barely missed the Rainbow Bridge. This is war."

"Missile defense? To be honest I somewhat skeptical about that program, despite I got an uncle in the Defense Ministry and one other in Diet. Wait a minute.. Kousei, go see the news. Those people also combined missile and air attacks towards some Kaijou Jietai (JMSDF) facilities..

Oh, and my Otoo-san called me. Along with that, I also need to make sure Takeshi and Nagi is save. Onegaishimasu, Kousei-kun."

He also later called his mentor (and second mother figure to him along with Yumi), Seto Hiroko, and she told him about a possibility of a draft.

"If you are drafted, honor the call. I'm sure that your parents will approve your choice for this country. If you don't serve, I don't think there will be audience to watch you perform (_she refers to the grim consequence of North Korean rule_)." said Seto on the phone.

After that, he called his half-brother.

"Are everyone safe, brother? All lines are overwhelmed by the emergency warning system!" asked Daigo on the phone.

"Thank God they are all safe and sound, Mum, Dad, Risa, Nana, all inside the house. Where are you?"

"Still in the hospital, when the siren comes, as you know, everyone must be ready for casualties."

"Have you heard about a possible SDF draft?"

"Yes, my supervisor had said about that. But as we are medical workers we are exempted from such thing, either. The government has guaranteed that."

"Alright, I must go back to work and checked up some equipments.. Onegaishimasu!" Daigo ended the call.

_**Breaking News**_

_"Just recently at 20.40. North Korea has launched two Pukkuksong-2 (KN-15) intermediate-range ballistic missiles, one targeting Camp Smedley Butler, a United States Marine Corps base in Okinawa, and another targeting Tokyo. All missiles were confirmed as "successfully intercepted and destroyed" by AEGIS Ashore missile defense system and failed to hit their intended targets. Five minutes after the detection of the missiles, North Korean forces launched a massive attack on South Korea with up to 3 million soldiers and approximately 450-600 modern warplanes. Along with the invasion towards South Korea the North Korean air force has raided the JMSDF Maizuru District base, which sunk destroyer Asagiri and submarine Kuroshio. The attack also damaged destroyer Shimakaze, Takanami, and destroyer escort (frigate) Ooyodo. A second wave of North Korean planes, believed to be targeting Naval Support Activity Yokosuka (a combined US-JMSDF naval base) or the city were repulsed by the combination of ground based defenses and air forces from both the JASDF and the US. The government and Diet had commenced a special session as a response to the attacks and to sign into law the revision of the Article 9 of the Constitution."_

**Tokyo, April 26th, 2018. 07.00 hour. Watari's house**_  
_

"Moshi moshi"

"This is Tsubaki, Watari, do you know that the government had signed a draft law for both men and women aged 18-35? (conscription)"

"Yes, my Otoo-san already told that before he go to work. He said for today keep checking the mailbox for government sounding letters. And you know, I might get drafted. We are at war now. In that case, both Okaa-san and Otoo-san had told me, well, to honor the call."

"I already receive the letter. I was drafted, Watari."

He felt shocked upon listening to the fact that his girlfriend has been drafted into the SDF.

"Alright, I will immediately checked my mailbox for that letter. I will call you soon. Daisuki!" Watari ended the call.

And as he expected. he also receive the draft notification letter.

Tokyo, April 26th, 2018. 09.00 hour. Okutsu University campus.

Kousei and Emi arrived at the ground of their school. Both are drafted. The campus's ground are currently used as one of the receiving station and physical examination for prospective SDF draftees.

Soon. "Watari, Tsubaki, are you got drafted too?"

"Of course!" Both answered.

"Anyway, how about Daigo?" Tsubaki asked.

"He's a medical technician, and as you had see in the news, medical workers (doctors, nurses, paramedics, medical technicians, pharmacists, midwives, etc), are one of the "reserved occupations" which means they are exempted from the draft."

"Kousei! Emi!" called a voice behind. It's Aiza Takeshi.

"Are you draft, too?" Watari asked Takeshi.

"Correct. If you guys were to serve, I will follow. Well, this is for my family, anyway. Maybe having samurai blood indeed help me physically fit, which for pianists like us also a must." Takeshi was long-time considered as the most physically fit from the pianist trio; which are him, Emi, and Kousei.

After that, prospective draftees undertaken their physical and mental test in many empty classes requisitioned for this purpose.

"Okay, your name is Kousei Arima, 18 years old, a citizen of Japan, born in Totsuhara, Tokyo Prefecture, and you are healthy, physically and mentally, right?" said one SDF officer, a Ground one with the rank of Captain.

"Sir, yes sir!" said Kousei.

Then, he was physically examined; hearing, sight, weight, height, reflexes, and overall health, along with a psychological and vocational aptitude test.

In vision examination "Ah, 20/10. Above average. You might have chance to be a pilot in the ASDF." said the examiner.

The conclusion. "Congratulations, we used to know you as a musician, but today, you are now a member of the Self-Defense Forces. We are officially at war, so expect to be deployed at any time, in the GSDF, MSDF, and the ASDF. Choose your path."

"Arigatou gozaimasu, sir!" Kousei replied.

**Tokyo, April 26th, 2018. 19.20 hour. a local Korean restaurant, Tokyo, Japan.**

"Minna, what's happened today?" asked Kousei inside the Korean restaurant owned by one of Watari's soccer friend, Jeong-san. Kousei, Watari, Tsubaki, Emi, and Takeshi were gathered on that evening, bringing their close friends.

The pianist trio bring their three close friends: Makoto Kawashima, a cellist, Kaori Naehara, a drummer and Aoki Isako, a vocalist.

Meanwhile, Tsubaki and Watari brought Haruka. Jeong, as the son of the owner had been there before the group arrive.

"I was accepted and already signed up with the Kaijou Jieitai (JMSDF)" Makoto said.

"I might be small-framed but those people said I have potential to be in the Kutei-dan (1st Airborne Brigade, JGSDF parachute formation, based in Camp Narashino)" Kaori said.

"I will join the Koku Jietai" Kousei proudly said. "I also will do the same to be in your side" said Emi. "Besides, let me tell one of my little secrets. When I was small I used to, for a while, dreamed for being a pilot, before being inspired by Kousei-kun to go into piano instead" Emi added.

"Same for us" Tsubaki and Watari replied.

"How about your friend, Jiro?" asked Kousei to Watari.

"Family hardship caused him to be exempted from the draft. His father recently suffered a stroke and as the result he must go back to his hometown in Naha to take care of his family and continued his education there" Watari replied.

Kousei and Emi can only pondering in silence about his current issues.

"Oh, buddy, before I forgot, how's Kashiwagi, Tsubaki's friend?" Kousei continued.

Tsubaki soon answered "She's also drafted. she said to me that she had applied to join the GSDF. The draftmen said she might be a good candidate to fly their helos."

"As I said to you before, Watari, I will join the GSDF." Jeong said, definitely eager to fight in Korea.

"Me too" said Haruka. "In addition, they said that I might fit to be a tank soldier. Despite I'm a woman."

Takeshi answered "I'm going to the GSDF too. And I am the only one here to be in the infantry."

"You forgot I also will be infantry, Takeshi" Jeong replied to Takeshi's statement.

"Paratroopers are also infantry, Takeshi. You're not alone." Kaori said, laughing slightly.

"They said I am an officer material in the Maritime Forces, so I took up the offer to join the Kaijou Jieitai. Besides, despite learning to be a musician, I have a quite good affinity for anything related to sea. In fact. I'm also a scuba diver" Aoki said, while showing her diving license card.

"Amazing" most of the group replied in awe, while Kousei and Emi seemed reserved as they are already know for long that she is a qualified diver along with being a singer.

Kousei is surprised how many people close to him has been drafted by the SDF.

"I wonder what those people' next move towards us? Has South Korea holding well? Will China or Russia intervene?" he looked out of the window towards the starry, clear sky of Tokyo.

**A/N:**

1\. This fanfiction is heavily inspired from this School Rumble (not yet watched this anime to be honest) fanfiction about a Japanese-Chinese war which saw many characters from that series to be conscripted into the JSDF. Credits to Jack Hamataro Kamiya, the American who created it

2\. In real life if the missile is nuclear the Americans will definitely retaliate. But as the missile in this story was intercepted the US president decided to not activate his nuclear football and decided to keep the war conventional.


	4. Refiner's Fire

**A/N:** The Japanese began their preparation for war...

**PM Shinzo Abe's address to the nation**

"_To all Japanese people, this is the dark day for us all. Last night, North Koreans had committed an act of war towards the state of Japan by firing two ballistic missiles, one towards our capital, and one was aimed towards Okinawa. In addition, they also sent warplanes which managed to damage a portion of our maritime defense capability, at the JMSDF Maizuru Naval Base, while our forces along with our strategic ally (the United States) has managed to repel the second attack, which were aimed towards the important city and port of Yokosuka. On behalf of the Emperor, the government, and the people of Japan. I extend my condolences to the families of Maritime Force members and civilians who had fallen in the attack on Maizuru._"

_"The Jieitai has been put on full alert and as the Constitution has been officially revised by the Diet, it has been authorized for use in combat overseas along with friendly countries, especially, South Korea, which is being attacked by the North Korean forces aimed to reunify the land under dictatorial rule and our most important partner which is the United States of America. As a friend and neighbor of the Korean Republic, the State of Japan will not tolerate any attempt to impose a totalitarian rule on it's people. "_

"_Now by the time, you will figured out that many of your loved ones, friends, neighbors, acquaintances and associates will and currently engaged in battle to protect our homeland and defend our Korean brothers_. _The Jieitai will fight as a part of a Coalition force which will took the fight into Pyongyang and do everything it can to hunt down it's leaders to face justice, even if we must go underground for it to be realized_. _I promised this will be a decisive victory. We will not repeat our forefathers mistakes in the Pacific War. As your Prime Minister, I asked the people of Japan, either in homeland or in diaspora, to give support to our forces with everything we have in our disposal_._ To brave men and women in uniform, I'll give you my full support and exhortation to fight as you fight to defend the Yamato__ and those freedom-loving Koreans__. Fight in their skies, sea, and land as if that is our own that we can't afford to lose. Show our allies and partners in Asia-Pacific and the Western World you will fight alongside, that Japan today is different than in the past."_

_"To the North, there will be no negotiation except for a surrender and reunification of Korea under the flag of liberty. Everyone who had commit atrocities will be punished accordingly. I'll end this address by this word; Freedom, Banzai!"_

**Tokyo, April 27th, 2018.**

Today is the day Kousei left Tokyo for his initial military training. His luggage is ready and he currently waiting for the JASDF bus scheduled to pick him up.

"Mum, Dad, Seto-san, pray for me to prevail in trainings and in flight" he said while hugging his stepmother, father, and his piano mentor.

"If there's a keyboard or a piano in your base, don't forget to use it, to keep your skills and for relaxation, okay? Particularly before and after you fly, which definitely will be grueling." Seto said.

"Don't forget to contact me and Mum often, okay?" added Takahiko. "And remember this, Kousei. A soldier fight not because he hates what's in front of him but because he loves what he left behind!"

"_Ganbatte_ (do your best), my son" Yumi said, close to tears.

"_Hai, ganbarimasu! _(I will fight hard)" Kousei replied.

"The bus is coming!" Seto said upon looking outside.

"_Minna, matane!_" (Everyone, goodbye!). Kousei waved his hand to his parents and mentor upon exiting the house and boarded the bus. Meanwhile. Tsubaki and Watari, being his neighbors next-door also said goodbye to their respective parents and boarded the bus.

"Kousei!" Emi, already picked up before Kousei, said upon saw him board the bus. He soon takes seat beside his girlfriend.

Both soon meet and greeted fellow cadets inside the bus.

"What? The mighty Kousei Arima was also drafted? And his girlfriend also?" said one cadet, by the name of Enomoto Naoto after being introduced to Kousei and Emi.

"Because we are at war" Kousei simply answered Naoto. He can only ponders.

Other cadets were not so starstruck upon seeing Kousei and Emi, already considered as celebrities especially for younger, under-20 folks. For example, a cadet behind Kousei's seat by the name of Hatsuki Yamamoto had simply said "I will be honored to serve with you."

"To be more precise, fly, right?" asked Kousei with a smirk.

"Yes!"

After almost one and a half hour, the cadets arrived at the Hamamatsu Air Base, in the Shizuoka Prefecture, when they will be undergoing their basic and ground class for those for flying training, like Kousei, Emi, Tsubaki, and Watari. Two JASDF senior cadets soon boarded the bus that they are in.

"I'm Cadet Nisou (First/Technical Sergeant, in this case a 3rd year cadet) Kido Takayoshi. Welcome to the Basic Cadet Training, the first step to becoming an officer in the one of Free Asia's (1) most powerful air force, the Koku Jieitai. One day, your decisions you take or not to take will effect whether people live, or die. We Cadres here as our responsibility, to care towards you and help you meet challenges as cadets and as officers, and create the warrior spirit in you. To instill courage, push you beyond your limits, and making you a true Japanese airman and woman..."

"Your country and it's people expect you to give your absolute best in your training. And every day, the standard will be higher than before. Especially as we are at war now. Mediocrity and laziness in your actions will not be tolerated, do you understand?"

"Yes sir!" shouted the cadets.

"Our heritage, with names like Minoru Genda, Tateo Kato, and Yoshinao Koidara.."

Upon the conclusion of the welcoming speech by Cadet Sergeant Takayoshi, the cadets disembarked the hybrid-powered bus into the inner part of the base.

The different adventure for Kousei and his friends has began.

**Hamamatsu Air Base, JASDF Air Officer Training School, Shizuoka Prefecture, April 27th, 2018.**

The first week, physical training. Second week, weapons training. The next week, survival, airmanship and leadership training.

After the basic, it's time for flying school for those who choose to become pilots.

Basic flying training: 25 hours in classroom, and 25 hours flying using the Fuji Heavy Industries (now Subaru) T-7 turboprop trainer aircraft in Shihuzama Air Base, still in Shizuoka Prefecture.

As Seto expected, Hamamatsu AB indeed have piano. So, outside class, homeworks, physical, and flight training in Shihuzama, he and Emi still able to keep playing with it. Especially in the weekends when they didn't have any class or flying schedule except otherwise.

Meanwhile, the news of the front were not depressing, nor encouraging: North and South Korea are once again locked in an attrition, back-and-forth battles along the DMZ and surrounding area including in the outskirts of Seoul. Iranian and for lesser extent, Chinese, military support to DPRK significantly offsets massive support from NATO forces and existing Japanese forces to South Korea.

"Best graduate overall is.. Arima Kousei and Tsubaki Sawabe!" said the Instructor upon the conclusion of the overall basic training program, while putting the corresponding patch into their flight suits.

Later on, those who are chosen for fighter aircrafts continued to intermediate and advanced training using Kawasaki T-4 Kai jet trainers in Hamamatsu Air Base. Meanwhile, for cadets who were assigned to fly multi-engined aircrafts such as C-130 Hercules, C-1, C-2, and C-3 (2) transports, KC-767 tankers, Hawker 800, and E-767 AWACS, underwent training at Miho Air Base, Tottori Prefecture using Raytheon T-400 (T-1 Jayhawk).

Months passed. And soon, Kousei and Emi, have been commissioned as second lieutenants, are assigned to the F-15J air-superiority fighters, meanwhile Tsubaki and Watari will fly the strike version of the Eagle, the F-15EJ Strike Eagle (3), all license produced by Mitsubishi.

Upon his first successful flight in the F-15, he muttered. "Thank you, Kaori.. You said that "Music is Freedom" I might add this for you up above '_The sky is freedom_.'" 

**A/N: **What do you think about the refined version of Kaori Miyazono's quote with aviation context? And due to Kousei and Kaori are conscripts. the training would also been accelerated due to the fear of possible Chinese invasion.

Also, the mention of notable WW2-era Japanese pilots and air officers in this case are not intended to glorify militarism and fascism.

(1). A terminology which is not exists in real life US foreign policy, but in this universe the classification exists, which refer to mostly democratic pro-West or non-bloc Asian states with strong tendencies to be friendly or accommodating to the interest of the Western world. Countries fell into the classification includes Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, Singapore, Philippines, Indonesia, Thailand, Malaysia, India, (disputed by experts) Afghanistan and Pakistan. Thailand, Taiwan, South Korea, and Japan are also categorized as Major Non-NATO allies by the United States.

(2). Not exists in real life, but imagine the aircraft as an enlarged and four-engined version of Kawasaki C-2. Basically a Japanese equivalent to American Boeing C-17 Globemaster III, Russian Ilyushin Il-76, or Chinese Xi'an Y-20.

(3). In real life the Japanese never acquired two-seater F-15E, unlike it's neighbor South Korea, but as this is an alternate history, they bought it and later Mitsubishi Heavy Industries license produced the said plane to replace the F-4 Phantoms as "interim" before the F-35 Lightning II entered service.


	5. Pre-Deployment

**Tokyo, July 4th, 2018. Kaori's grave.**

Today is her birthday.

2nd Lt. Kousei, accompanied by Emi, Tsubaki, and Watari, all in their daily working dresses are currently in Tokyo to visit both Kaori and Saki's grave. They also already bring flowers. As they entered the cemetery, all of them fell into silence, the only sound is their footsteps and summer breeze, blowing against their faces.

Being now military personnel instead of civilians, they saluted military-style, before putting flowers into the grave as a sign of respect. Speaking of deployment, both Kousei and Emi's squadron, the 4th Tactical Fighter Squadron, and Tsubaki and Watari's one, 2nd TFS, are now deployed at Yokota Air Base, formerly an USAF base which was handed-over to the JSDF ownership in 2011 (1). For weeks they have been trained in responding to mostly airborne threats, while Tsubaki and Watari have one addition; anti-shipping and other usage of precision-guided munitions such as GPS-guided JDAM, supplied by the USA beginning in 2009.

They arrived at Saki's grave first. Kousei is the first to step forward and pay his respect.

"_Hello again, Mum. Emi, Tsubaki, and Watari also with me. North Korea attacked us and guess what? The government has instituted a draft. And you must be surprised that I also got drafted into the SDF. I am now here, in uniform of the Koku Jietai as pilot. God's plan is a mysterious thing, am I right? But you can still be happy that when I'm in training, the base has a piano so me and Emi can still play. In fact, I can still remember your saying; The piano is you. If you touch it gently, it will smile. If you touch it with force, it will become enraged . I found that saying also viable when you are flying a plane; The airplane is you. If you touch (i.e. manipulate) the controls gently (and properly) it will smile, but if you doing it with force (or improperly), it will become enraged and it will kill you._" Kousei smiled upon finishing the last sentence.

"_Remember Tsubaki and Watari?_ _They also fighter pilots now, along with Emi_." Kousei continued.

"_Indeed, I'm also join the SDF with him. As his lover, I swear to watch his back for you when we are doing our mission soon_." Emi added.

"_Despite what you have done to Kousei in his past, I will make sure that your memory will still there when we fly to protect the skies_." said Tsubaki, when Watari is close to crying while putting his own flower.

After the quartet done with Saki's grave, they continued into Kaori's one.

As with Saki, Kousei is the first to put the flowers in front of Kaori's headstone. "_Kaori, happy birthday to you. You are still there in my memory. Yes, I pressed the reset button to love Emi wholeheartedly. But I will always dedicate a space in my heart for you to live inside. You are lucky up above, Kaori, as Japan is now at war with Communist North Korea and all of us here, me, Emi, Tsubaki, and Watari are drafted. We are changed, We are pilots now. If you were still alive you definitely be proud at me, willing to sacrifice my dream to defend my loved ones. Watch me from above when I, along with Emi, Tsubaki, and Watari fly our birds of steel!_" Kousei ended his sentence with a newly found optimism.

"_It has been three year since you left me and Tsubaki. Trust me, I still missed you. A lot. I don't know what will happen to me if Tsubaki, Kousei, Emi, and my own parents won't care about it. As Kousei said, we are at war. Today we might feel the taste of it once more after that missile attack. If you are still alive, would you still be my friend after we are changed and molded to become killers? Yes, if we don't kill, we will be subjugated. But I will never know what's your feeling about this, Kaori.. Until we meet again. You will be with us in our hearts as we do our duty._" said Watari, his voice almost breaking as he fought back tears accumulating in his eyes.

Tsubaki's turn. "_Happy birthday Kao-chan.. You will always be remembered and I believe you are now happy, with Kousei's mom, playing together. I'm not Kousei or Emi or Takeshi, but your own violin still reverberate inside me. Kousei's doing well. Emi helped him much back in the day when he is in Okutsu, along with his father, his stepmother, and his half-siblings. While in some occasion when he felt down I saw him cry in his bed, in most of the time I can see he is happier now. I will always missed you, my friend. Look at me when I fly!_"

Last, Emi. "_Happy birthday, Kaori. As you remember, we never know each other well enough before you left Kousei. You help him to be more colorful.. In fact. I still feel your presence when I played together in piano duets with Kousei. Many times, he played for you, beautifully, while in others, for me and only me. And I believe you also helped him mentally when the draft come. As the result? He's thriving in the pilot training by your memory. Yes, part of me is jealous. But I know if you weren't exist back then. I don't know what will happen to him, and I'm dead serious. I promise that I will be a good wingman to him in our upcoming mission and ensure your memory lives in us as we are fighting for our homeland._"

The young pilots soon walked into the cemetery gates to return to Yokota AB.

"We need to be hurry as the commander suggest that we might be sent to Korea today" Kousei said as they arrived in the nearby train station.

As they entered the base again, before they went to their ready room to do their watch, with Watari and Tsubaki went into the base's football pitch just for some physical as they are not in ready schedule yet, Kousei stopped in front of the door of the room.

"Kousei? What's wrong?" asked Emi in a quite concerned look.

"Well, just I want you to know. We survived the boot camp and all the flying trainings, and now, I promise you, Emi, that I will protect you. We will survive this together, not just survive, but win. Let's make our parents and other loved ones proud.."

"Together, Love Sorrow?"

"Together, Red Wing."

**A/N:**

(1). In real life Yokota AB is still under US Air Force ownership but since this is an alternate history I took liberty and have it returned to the Japanese Government, while retaining access to it.


	6. Scramble!

**A/N: **This is the first combat action for Kousei and Emi. I also took liberty for the squadron's radio call sign, which is "Symphonia". 

**Yokota Air Base, July 4th, 2018, 19.00 hour.**

**4th Tactical Fighter Squadron, 1st Air Wing, JASDF.**

_Nguing, nguing, nguing.. !_

Upon hearing the alarm, Kousei and Emi and two other F-15J pilots assigned to the quick reaction alert rose up from their seats and put their G-suits on, then ran as fast as they can to their fighters.

Kousei was assigned to an F-15J Kai ++ with hull number "417", while Emi's plane was numbererd "412". He looked at his checklist as the engine started, and soon began the taxi process.

"_Symphonia 2-2, you're cleared to take off._" said the controller.

"Yokota Tower.. this is Symphonia 2-2, affirmative." replied Kousei. He felt that someone is whispered at him while he powered up his F-15's twin Pratt & Whitney F100 turbofan engines and engaged the afterburner for a faster takeoff.

_This is it, Arima Kousei.. make them pay for derailing your dream. Show them how you play the"music of death" as well and as beautiful when you are in the piano.. _Kousei could feel his heart whispered that word of motivation as he climbed into the dark black sky.

They leveled up to 12.000 feet with cruising speed of 550 knots. All planes were loaded with full air-superiority load; 8 AAM-4 beyond-visual range air-to-air missile and 8 IR-guided AAM-5; all courtesy of Mitsubishi Heavy Industries.

Upon reaching the Sea of Japan (also known as the East Sea of Korea) Kousei's headset crackled. "This is AWACS Mangetsu (full moon), you are cleared for refueling"

The F-15s approached an E-767 AWACS and a KC-767 tanker, and proceed to refuel.

"_To all units, we gladly inform you that "Operation Dragon's Fire" is now began. Tonight, your objective is to repel North Korean bombers heading towards Busan, now the temporary capital of the Korea Republic since Seoul has been under constant air raids and missile attacks from the North. Expect heavy fighter escort. All allied assets in the area are now engaged, so you will be on your own for a while. Be advised, multiple radar contacts detected, confirmed as Xi'an H-6 (Chinese copy of Soviet Tupolev Tu-16) bombers escorted by MiG-29M Fulcrums and MiG-21 Fishbeds. Do not underestimate the Fishbeds, through, as many of those planes has been upgraded by Russia or Belarus over the decade as MiG-21-93 variant, capable of BVR combat._"

The Japanese fighters soon approached the city of Busan.

"I got hostiles on my radar, four bombers with fighter escorts. Give us the order, sir." reported Emi on the mike.

"All Symphonia call sign, keep your radar on sweep mode." ordered the flight lead, Capt. Natsuki Hanae. The flight don't want to scare the North Koreans off prematurely if they locked their targets before reaching the AAM-4 range.

Capt. Natsuki assigned each bomber to his flight.

Kousei was assigned the second-northernmost H-6 to be taken out. Meanwhile, Emi was the southernmost.

"Target is in missile range, open fire, Fox 3!"

Using the F-15Js datalink system, the AAM-4s acquired and locked the bombers, beyond visual range. Soon, all the bombers were destroyed, upon the horror of their fighter escorts.

"Symphonia 2-2, Splash one Badger!"

"First kill, excellent, Kousei!"

The escorting North Korean fighters scattered to avoid the debris of ruined H-6s.

Four Japanese F-15s vs six North Korean upgraded MiG-21s and two MiG-29 Fulcrums. They are outnumbered two to one.

"I'm spiked!" as red Kanji characters indicating "WARNING" flashed out on Emi's element leader's HMD (Helmet Mounted Display). 1st Lieutenant Nara Konishi "Symphonia 2-3".

"Hang in there, 2-3." Emi told him on the comm just in time as a KPAF MiG-21-93 fired two Vympel R-77 (AA-12 Adder) active radar-homing missile towards Nara's Eagle. She jinked hard left in order to lure the missile from her flight lead and accelerated up, along with increasing output on her jamming system, she also pumped chaffs to further overwhelm the missile. It works.

"Thanks for your help but you can get yourselves killed for that, 2-4, remember my words." said Nara.

"Symphonia 2-4, Fox 2!"

"Splash one MiG" called Emi minutes later as she reported her second kill, against a Fishbed.

On the other side, Kousei is pursuing a MiG-29. The Eagle has better radar and weaponry, but the lighter Fulcrum has better maneuverability and rate of climb. Eagle pilots were advised to not get into the close-quarter turning fight with the Fulcrum if necessary, even as the F-15J Kai ++ operated by the squadron has been retrofitted with thrust vectoring. Especially, in North Korea, MiG-29s were flown by their "elite regiments" (_regiment in the Soviet/Russian patterned air forces is equivalent to US Air Force Wing_) which has better training and annual flight hours compared to other units. To wrap up the engagements as soon as possible, he used his HMD to target the MiG, and fire an AAM-5 using it's "High off boresight" capability. The MiG, however managed to defeat the missile by deploying flares. Back to square one for Kousei. As the result, he switched into gun.

"Guns, guns, guns" called Kousei as he fired his M61 Vulcan 20 mm autocannon, which ripped through the MiG's rudder and elevator, rendered it uncontrollable and crashed into the sea near the Port of Busan.

"Splash one MiG, he bailed"

"You doing well, Love Sorrow, keep this up!" Capt. Natsuki complimented.

Three minutes later, after losing two more MiGs, the North Koreans retreated. Then "This is White Wolf, we are in position and ready to support your sector. over" Another flight of F-15Js from the 201st Squadron and F-2s from 303rd Squadron is now in their position and available, escorting C-130s, C-2 and C-3 airlifters and four chartered Boeing 777 airliners, two from Japan Airlines and the other two from it's rival All Nippon Airways, all with Japanese troops and reinforcements en route to Korea.

"_Symphonia, protect the transports until they reach Gimhae International Airport._"

To their amazement, there are no further North Korean or other bandits present during their escort part.

They might be busy somewhere else, as the DMZ are still a contested and so, their bulk of forces are committed there. Kousei said to himself.

Upon the last transport landed safely, "_This is AWACS Mangetsu, all Symphonia call-sign, you are to be assigned to Ulsan Air Base in South Korea effectively today. The vectors has been uploaded into your on-board computer._"

"Roger, arigatou."

"_Good job up there, Symphonia._"

The AWACS' last sentence marked the end of Kousei and Emi's first combat mission. 

Notes:

1\. Fox one, fox two and fox three are Air Force brevity codes indicating air-to-air missile firing:

a). _**Fox one**_ is for semi-active radar homing missile (like the American AIM-7 Sparrow, Chinese PL-11, which itself based on the Sparrow; and Russian Vympel R-27).

b). _**Fox two**_ is for infrared homing missile (like the American AIM-9 Sidewinder, Russian Vympel R-73, British ASRAAM, German IRIS-T, Chinese PL-9 and PL-13, Israeli Rafael Python series, and Japanese AAM-3/AAM-5)

c). _**Fox three**_ is for active radar homing ones like the American AIM-120 AMRAAM, Russian Vympel R-77, Chinese PL-10/PL-12/PL-21, Israeli Rafael Derby, Japanese AAM-4, and European MBDA Meteor)

Further reading:

High-off boresight missile: /tag/high-off-boresight/ 


End file.
